Adjustable auxiliary camera power pack

Abstract

Included is an adjustable, auxiliary battery pack suitable for digital cameras. The pack includes a rotary wheel having finger grips that protrude through slots in a rotary wheel guide. The finger grips, in conjunction with the large diameter of the rotary wheel, allow a user to couple a threaded screw disposed in the rotary wheel to a tripod mount in a camera. The rotary wheel guide includes an aperture that allows the rotary wheel to move both side to side and forward and back, thereby accommodating a wide array of digital camera form factors. A protrusion on the rotary wheel ensures that the moveable rotary wheel stays within the confines of the rotary wheel guide. The battery pack includes a female tripod mount on the bottom of the pack that allows the camera/battery pack assembly to be coupled to a tripod.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . An adjustable, auxiliary battery pack comprising: 
 a. a housing with at least one rechargeable battery cell disposed within, the housing having a predetermined width;    b. a rotary wheel having a diameter greater than the predetermined width of the housing; and    c. a rotary wheel guide for coupling the rotary wheel to the housing.    
     
     
         2 . The pack of  claim 2 , wherein the rotary wheel comprises: 
 a. a protrusion disposed on a first surface of the aperture;    b. a threaded screw coupled to the protrusion; and    c. finger grips disposed about the circumference of the rotary wheel.    
     
     
         3 . The pack of  claim 2 , wherein the rotary wheel guide comprises an aperture through which the protrusion is inserted, the aperture having sides about its circumference which act as mechanical stops for the protrusion.  
     
     
         4 . The pack of  claim 3 , wherein the diameter of the rotary wheel is greater than twice the distance from the aperture side to an opposite edge of the rotary wheel guide.  
     
     
         5 . The pack of  claim 4 , wherein the housing comprises an upper housing having at least one flat surface and a lower housing.  
     
     
         6 . The pack of  claim 5 , wherein the lower housing comprises: 
 a. means for accommodating the at least one rechargeable cell; and    b. a circuit board having electrical circuits disposed thereon.    
     
     
         7 . The pack of  claim 5 , wherein the lower housing comprises a female tripod mount.  
     
     
         8 . The pack of  claim 6 , wherein the pack further comprises a fuel gauge display.  
     
     
         9 . The pack of  claim 8 , wherein the pack further comprises a connector for coupling to a power supply.